Telescopic door



Sept. 7, 1937. H Z REE'SE 2,092,534

' TELESCOPIC DOOR Filed June 22, 1936 ZNL/MTDE.

Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED sTATEs `PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

l This invention, a telescopic door, is particularly designed for installation in restricted places, or where the usual types of swinging doors are obstructive or interfere one with another, and is also designed to replace the usual folding, telescoping, and roll type doors.

As is well known, there are several types of roller, telescopic, and folding doors in use, while this invention combines the advantageous features of all, and includes new features which combination provides a door which is more compact when telescoped, so that it may be telescoped into the space between two studs on vstandard centers. It is also more rigid than the usual roller type door and easier to operate.

In many cases where swinging doors are used, they are obstructive, sometimes requiring the closing or opening of certain doors before others can be opened or closed. In the majority of such cases there is insuflicient wall space for the usual sliding or roller type door, and also, a roller type `door is not suitable for household installations. since the roll formed is too large in diameter to t within the usual space between the lath and d plaster, therefore, there is no alternative.

'I'his invention overcomes `all of the disadvantages of the above types of doors due to the fact that a door of ordinary width, as 36 to 42 inches can be telescoped into the standard wall space between two studs on standard centers of about 16 inches, and between the lath, which is usually spaced slightly less than four inches, and also in the fact that the door is made with a rigid, comparatively wide main panel and a rollable section rigidly hinged, and that thedoor is urged to retract through `the medium of a counterweight.

The objects of the invention are as follows;

First; to provide a telescopic door which can be telescoped in to a standard wall space equal to the breadth of a standard stud, and within a length of wall space substantially equal to one third the width of the door.

Second; to provide a door as outlined which has va leading panel of one piece construction with a width substantially equal to one third the width of the door.

Third; to provide a continuous series hinge for rigidly hinging the various door panels for positive spacing Vand rigid attraction and retraction in closingand openingmovements.

Fourth; to provide a telescopic door with guiding and supporting means for each panel and to provide circuitous interlapping tracks therefor.

Fifth; to provide l retractive counterweight means leading the follow end of the door through its circuitous path.

Sixth; to provide the upper track with a swingable or releasable section movable out of its normal path to permit ,removal of the door at will.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description is read on the drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which similar reference characters are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, of which;

Fig. l is a fragmentary, broken, front elevation of the invention showing the door inwclosed position, and showing through various broken-away portions of the door the various details of structure and mechanism.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section through the lower track, track support, lower portion of a door panel with guide pin.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken through the door in open position, and corresponds to a line y3--3 of Fig. 1 as related to the door.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan viewof the circuitous 4or interlapping track.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1, modified as to the location of the ball bearing.`

Fig. `6 is a fragmentary view showing the structure of the door asformed of metal.

Fig. 7 is afragmentaryview of the continuous vseries hinge used in connection with wood, libre, `or, related materials of non-formable material.

In the usual dwelling, door openings I0 are `usually made about three feet in width, and the ydistance between centers of wall studs II andv I2, about sixteen inches, the studs usually measuring about two by four inches or slightly less, therefore the actual spa-ce or area of door pocket left for a door to fold into will not exceed an area of :about four by sixteen inches. In many cases, 4the door opening stud I I will be located within sixteen to eighteen inches of a wall I3, thereby positively limiting the envelope or pocket to the above area.

As will be readily understood, a door cannot berolled on a roller in a space four inches. wide, therefore, in this invention, the door is telescoped through a circuitous, interlapping path, as shown,

The lusual roll or telescopic door is constructed entirely of narrow strips of material, hinged together, and winding on a roller, while' this invention consists of a leading panel I5, which has a width equal to about one third the width of the door, or about eighty percent of the length of the pocket, so as to provide the greatest possible area of rigid unitary panel construction, while coincidently providing a suitable panel for mounting of a lock and manipulating means, such as handles or knobs, (not shown).

The balance of the door is made from a multiplicity of comparatively narrow strips or hinge panels I 6 with abutting vertical side edges, all hinged together through the medium of rigid hinging means, such as metal hinges. These panels may be formed of wood, fibre, metal, or other substantially rigid material.

When the door is constructed of wood or other non-formable material, a special hinge 1 is used for securing the panels into a unit, and two or more of these hinges may be attached in vertically spaced relation throughout the width of the series of hinge panels and secured to the follow end I1 of the main or leading panel I5.

The use of flexible material, such as leather, canvas, or other fabric materials as hinging means is not satisfactory since it does not provide a rigid hinge, permitting a certain amount of collapse, which does not occur with a properly constructed metal hinge. Therefore, the term rigidly hinged is used to differentiate from flexible hinging.

The hinge, Fig. '1 is formed similarly to the usual butt hinge, having pintle sleeves and pintles, but differentiating in that each hinge plate is formed as a double ended hinge plate with a female pintle sleeve I8 formed at one end and a male pintle sleeve I9 formed at the other end, whereby any`number of plates may be assembled by means of pintles to form a continuous series hinge 1, providing a rigid connection between the panels for attractive or retractve operation of the door. Suitable screw holes 2I are also provided in the plates for attachment of the hinge plates to the respective panels.

When constructing the panels from sheet metal, the hinge structure may be incorporated in the panels and carried out throughout the length of the panels 22,v forming male pintle sleeves 23 along one edge of the panel, and female pintle sleeves 24 along the other edge, whereby the panels may be assembled into a unitary structure through the medium of pintles 25, to any desired Width of door.

The main or leading panel I5 is provided with at least two double-roller hanger supports 26, and a double roller support 26 is provided for each hinge panel. Therefore, each panel is individually supported, obviating any tendency toward sagging at any point throughout the width of the door.

Each double roller hanger support consists of two rollers 21 and 28 pivotally mounted on a hanger 29, which, in the case of wood or other non-formable material panels is riveted or otherwise secured to, or in the panels as indicated at 30, and in the case of sheet metal panels, the hangers 32 are formed integral with the respective panels 3I.

The bottom of the main panel I5 and hinge panels I6 or 3| are each provided with guide pins 33, and a roller, (not shown) may be rotatably mounted on each pin, if desired, to reduce friction. In the case of wood, these pins are secured in the lower ends of the panels, while with sheet metal they are formed integrally with the panels, similar to the hangers 32.

The upper track consists of an inverted U- shaped channel member 34 having the legs ilanged in as shown at 35 and 36 to form a track for the rollers 21 and 28 and coincidently form a passage for the hangers 29.

The lower track 4 is a U-shaped member 31 with the legs bent outwardly as shown at 38 and secured in or to the sill or iloor 39.

Means for removal of the door at will is provided in which a portion 40 of the upper track is made removable, or pivotally supported at its forward end as shown at 4I, and releasably secured at its rearward end as shown at 42, an aperture 43 being formed in one leg of the track to permit release of the securing means 42.

As will be understood, if the bolt or screw 42 is released, the track section 49 may be swung outwardly about its pivot 4I and the door may then be removed or inserted through the open end of the track.

The upper and lower tracks are complementarily formed and are circuitous and interlappingly formed, the main section 44 being straight and continuing into a semicircular portion 45, thence through a reverse straight portion 46, thence semicircular portion 41, terminating in a straight portion 48.

Thus, as the door is opened, the rear or follow end of the door, as 49, passes back along section 44, about arcuate section 45, forward along section 45, about arcuate section 41 and again back along the straight section 48, the main panel extending back about to the beginning of the arcuate section 45, as shown.

Rods or shafts 50 and 5I are mounted axially of the semicylindrical sections 41 and 45, and have their opposite ends mounted in the upper and lower track body members as indicated at 52, and form supports for rollers, such as ball bearings 53, 54, 55 and 56, which bearings may cooperate with the inner surface of the panel members as shown in Fig. 3, or with the hangers as shown in Fig. 5, preferably the latter.

The counterweight means includes a sheave 51 rotatably mounted on the shaft 5U, a second sheave 58 rotatably mounted on the shaft 5I, and a third, or drop sheave 59 rotatably mounted in a bracket 60 supported by the shaft 5I. A cable 6I has one end attached to the rear or :follow end 49 of the door, passing about sheave 58, thence about sheave 51, over sheave 59, the other end of the cable being connected to the counterweight 62, which is of sufficient weight to lead the rear end of the door about its circuitous path, but of insuicient weight to retract the entire door.

It will be understood that variations in construction and arrangement of parts, which variations are consistent with the appended claims may be resorted to, without detracting from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacricing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A telescopic door comprising a track consisting of three parallel sections joined together by two semicircular sections and a straight extension continuing from one of said parallel sections and having a length equal to the combined length of said three parallel sections, and a door formed of a multiplicity of panels, and individual supporting means for each panel cooperating with said track, whereby said door is concealable in a space between walls and studs having a depth equal to one-third the width of said door and normal or stud spacing between the walls.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1, said multiplicity of panels including a rst panel having a Width equal to substantially 80% the depth of the space, and the remainder of the panels having a width less than the space between the walls, providing a rigid member at the forward end of the door to facilitate opening and closing thereof.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 1, a vertical shaft mounted axially in each semicircular section and a roller mounted adjacent each` end of each shaft, the rollers on the shaft closest to the opening for the door having a smaller diameter than the rollers on the rear shaft to permit interlapping of the rear end of the door.

4. A telescopic door comprising, in combination with a Wall structure of normal proportions having a door opening therein and a wall pocket formed between the Walls and extending from said door opening and having a dep-th substantially equal to one third the Width of the door opening, a door comprising a panel forming the front portion of the door and having a width equal to 75 to 90% of the depth of said pocket, and a multiplicity of narrow panels forming the intermediate and `rearward portions of said door, said panels being all hingedly connected, individual roller supports for each panel, and guiding and supporting means cooperating with said supports guiding said door into said pocket with the rearward portion interlapped between the front and intermediate portions, whereby the door is concealed in a space of normal proportions between walls spaced by the studs.

5. A telescopic door comprising, in combination with a wall structure having a door opening formed therein and a wall pocket extending therefrom between the Walls and formed between studs and the walls spaced thereby, and having a depth equal to one third the width of the door opening; a first shaft. vertically mounted centrally transversely of the pocket and adjacent the rear end thereof, a second shaft vertically mounted oilc center transversely of the pocket adjacent the front end of said pocket, two rollers and a pulley mounted on each shaft, a sheave supported by said first shaft, a continuous track comprising a main portion extending from the front end of said door opening to the rear of said pocket along one side thereof, an intermediate portion extending forwardly along the other side of the pocket, and a terminal portion extending backwardly between said main and intermediate portions, said portions being connected through semicircular portions coaxially located with respect to said shafts, a door comprising a main panel having a width equal to 80% of the depth of the pocket and forming the front portion of the door, and a multiplicity of narrow panels forming the intermediate and follow portions of the door, a hanger for each panel and operating in said track, a counterweight, and a cable having one end attached to said counterweight and the other end attached to the follow end of said door and operating successively about said sheave, the pulley on the second shaft, and the pulley on the rst shaft, the follow portion of said door being interlapped between the front and intermediate portions when the door is open,

whereby the door is concealed in a wall structure of normal proportions, eliminating projections or abnormal spacing of studs.

HOWARD Z. REESE. 

